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National market update

Pending Home Sales Rise Again in March

Washington, DC, April 28, 2011 - March saw another increase in pending home sales, with contract activity rising unevenly in six of the past nine months, according to the National Association of Realtors®. More...Read more

Existing-Home Sales Rise in March

Washington, DC, April 20, 2011 - Sales of existing-home sales rose in March, continuing an uneven recovery that began after sales bottomed last July, according to the National Association of Realtors®. More...Read more

National housing indicators

Existing home sales ()

5.10 million units*

Existing home median price ()

$159,600

Housing Starts ()

549,000 units*

New home sales ()

National economic indicators

Home ownership

1 Qtr 11

66.4%

4Qtr 10

66.5%

The homeownership rate in the first quarter 2011 (66.4 percent) was lower than the first quarter 2010 rate (67.1 percent). In the South and West, the homeownership rates were lower than a year ago, while the Northeast and Midwest showed no significant change from the corresponding first quarter 2010 rates.

New home sales

Mar 11

+11.1%

Feb 11

-13.5%

Sales of new one-family houses in March 2011 were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 300,000. This is 11.1 percent above the revised February 2011 estimate of 270,000.

Source: U.S. CENSUS BUREAU

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Regional market updates

View market statistics for your region.

Click on the links below to view data from two different industry sources. Choose information on local prices & state sales from any of 178 metropolitan housing markets prepared by the National Association of REALTORS® or information on sales & price activity from local area markets in 25 states prepared by Clarus MarketMetrics.

Local Sales & Price Activity

Kimberly Augustine

Home Ownership matters…to people, to communities, and to America. Why? • For every two homes sold, one job is created in the U.S. • Each purchase generates as much as $60,000 in economic activity over time. Read more

Buying is now cheaper than renting in 74 percent of the nation’s largest cities. Low home prices and “rock-bottom” interest rates as well as tax advantages of homeownership are the reasons why it’s now cheaper to BUY a 2-bdrm home than to rent one. Check out this CNN Money article with the details. Read more

Disclaimer: The views, opinions, statements and/or ideas expressed in this Message Section do not reflect the ideas, policy, position, views or opinion of Move,Inc.

Consumer tips & hot properties

NAR Study Finds Americans Prefer Smart Growth Communities

Washington, DC, April 04, 2011 - Americans favor walkable, mixed-use neighborhoods, with 56 percent of respondents preferring smart growth neighborhoods over neighborhoods that require more driving between home, work and recreation. That’s according to a recent study, the Community Preference Survey, by the National Association of REALTORS®. Walkable communities are defined as those where shops, restaurants, and local businesses are within walking distance from homes. More...Read more

Fence Etiquette: Tips to Avoid Neighbor Disputes

If you practice fence etiquette and bone up on local zoning regs, you can avoid neighbor disputes. If you install a fence, it's your responsibility to make sure both sides are well-maintained. Avoid fence disputes by practicing fence etiquette—a good neighbor policy. If you follow zoning regulations and share basics with neighbors before construction, you can install a new fence AND stay on good terms with the folks next door. More...
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Is the Cost of Flood Insurance Worth It?

Flooding risks, as well as the value of your home and your possessions, help determine whether the cost of flood insurance is worth it. Damage caused by driving rain is usually covered under standard homeowners insurance policies. Once the precipitation hits the ground, however, all bets may be off. More...
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7 Ways to Ready Your Home for Spring

As the seasons change and things start to warm up again, it's time to start thinking about what's outside. Here's my annual spring checklist of chores you want to be considering in order to clean up after winter's wrath and start getting ready for an enjoyable summer. More...
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Beware When Rolling Debt into Mortgage

Question: I think I already know the answer to this, but it doesn't hurt to ask. What do you think about having your debt consolidated into a real estate mortgage loan? More...
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Housing Trends eNewsletter is filled with U.S. Census Bureau key market indicators, consumer videos, blogs, a real estate glossary, mortgage rates and calculators, consumer articles, real estate radio, realtor.com® local community reports and local and national real estate sales and price activity provided by local MLSs and the National Association of REALTORS®.

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